LEAF Taxi Takes to Rome's Streets

Nissan and the taxi company Unione Radiotaxi of Rome are partnering to bring the first Nissan LEAF electric vehicles will operate in Rome as part of the Taxi 3570 fleet. The taxis will be supported by a unique mobile quick charging station, developed in conjunction with Nissan to provide ultimate flexibility.

Nissan LEAF has been in use as taxis across Europe in Lisbon, Amsterdam, Newcastle and Barcelona, according to the automaker. Taxi Electric in the Netherlands have already covered over 1.5 million km on its Nissan LEAF fleet, with zero mechanical breakdowns or flat battery situations.

The goal of the partnership between Nissan and Unione Radiotaxi of Italy is to transform the taxi service in Rome, where traffic conditions are tough and the air quality poor, to be cleaner and more sustainable, according to the companies.

The agreement also includes the installation of a static Nissan CHAdeMO quick charging station in the HUB of Taxi 3570 at Fiumicino Airport. The CHAdeMO quick charger is able to recharge vehicles from 0 percent to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes.

The taxis are supported by a mobile quick charging system, developed in conjunction with FCS Mobility – converting a Nissan NV400 into a mobile charging station. The van-based station has batteries on board to provide renewable power to the LEAF taxis in the city when necessary. With 130 lithium-iron-tetraphosphate batteries, holding 100 kWh of renewable solar energy, the CHAdeMO compatible NV400 conversion can charge one of the Taxi 3570′s LEAF from 30 percent to 80 percent in just 15 minutes. Recharged using renewable sources, the NV400 conversion gives Taxi 3570 full freedom across Rome, where EV infrastructure is still in the development phase, according to the companies.